Cattleya Spike/Inflorescence Question - Page 2 - Orchid Board

Lagoon · #11 08-01-2008, 05:02 PM

Catts are certainly interesting to watch and grow. I have one right now that has my interest, well I should say for about 1-1/2 years now - watching sheaths dry up over and over - just tickin me off actually, but I was still very curious about it.

My BC. Maikai lousie (B.nodosa x C.bowringiana) is now in bloom - those sheaths I watch dry up are now in bloom, along with some new sheaths that are blooming aswell. I also have buds without sheaths. .
Don't cut those dried up sheaths off, you just never know.

I have not yet have those bumps that Becca mentions, mine never do much of anything - just greenish bumps. I believe these are not mature enough to bloom, waiting on more mature bulbs to arise.

Catts are cool!

Rosim_in_BR · #12 08-01-2008, 11:25 PM

[QUOTE=shakkai;131040]...So Cattleya plants will very rarely flower from mature pseudobulbs? i.e. the ones I can see on my plant when from before I received it that obviously hadn't held a flower spike will likely never produce flowers - only the new growths? Have I got it right?
QUOTE]

Yes, Shakkai, you got it right! In this alliance old pseudo bulbs with dried sheaths that did not flower before will not flower anymore. At most, the new mature pb and the previous one can produce flowers if both developed and matured during the same growing season.

shakkai · #13 08-02-2008, 06:16 PM

Thanks, Mauro! I guess this is where my confusion started... as I don't see any sheaths - dried or not dried - on any of the most recent pseudo bulbs. The oldest two pseudo bulbs had old spikes, but I can't detect anything like that on any of the newer ones.

Here is what most of them look like - the 'green bump' as described by Becca & Terri:

Cattleya Spike/Inflorescence Question-catt_old_pbulb-jpg

The plant (I only have one Catt.) is maturing two new growths now. But I don't see any sheaths yet - so I was wondering whether I would get any flowers. Would I have noticed the sheath by now, if I was going to get one?

Cattleya Spike/Inflorescence Question-catt_new_growths-jpg

Virgil · #14 08-02-2008, 07:55 PM

Also catts can produce what is called a double sheath, it is important if this happens, open the first sheath so the inner sheath can grow and produce flowers

Rosim_in_BR · #15 08-02-2008, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakkai

Thanks, Mauro! I guess this is where my confusion started... as I don't see any sheaths - dried or not dried - on any of the most recent pseudo bulbs. The oldest two pseudo bulbs had old spikes, but I can't detect anything like that on any of the newer ones.

Here is what most of them look like - the 'green bump' as described by Becca & Terri:

Attachment 16720

The plant (I only have one Catt.) is maturing two new growths now. But I don't see any sheaths yet - so I was wondering whether I would get any flowers. Would I have noticed the sheath by now, if I was going to get one?

Attachment 16721

Shakkai, the two growths are too small to say whether they are going to have a sheath or not! You're gonna have to wait a little more until you know it for sure

!

shakkai · #16 08-03-2008, 05:12 AM

Thanks so much for all of your help. This is my first (and as I said, only) Catt. so I was just not sure what to expect/look for. I sure hope it flowers! If it does, I may add a few more! I am in love with the spotted flowered ones... but it would be a waste if I can't bloom them!

Hopefully, before too long, I'll be posting pics of flowers!

quiltergal · #17 08-04-2008, 11:01 PM

It appears as though I may have emerged from the Cattleya challenged. All but 1 have bloomed or are about to. Yay! Mine are about 50/50 sheath/no sheath. It's always interesting to see how a new plant will present it's flowers.

My Blc. Chia Lin 'New City' is my non-bloomer. I repotted it this spring and it had some root rot, so I'm hoping it was just a minor set back and the new growth will have a sheath when it matures.

shakkai · #18 08-05-2008, 05:18 AM

Congrats, Terri! I hope that, with the help of all of you guys, I will be able to say the same thing in a little while!

Singingirl96 · #19 08-18-2008, 02:00 AM

I'm so glad you asked that question. I bought a few catleyas this past spring and have watched them all develop new p-bulbs. One of these new growths has a "pea pod" growing in it and I had no idea what it was. I thought it was a new leaf. Yeah! I must be doing something right!